Hello DEEDEE
Finally, I feel like I'm meeting you for the 1st time after seeing your pretty face on your various postings - w/ the most positive words - NICE TO MEET YA, LOL!!!
I see him on Oprah quite often - I love me some Oprah. While I am not on the Best Life Diet - me & hubby are making a major lifestyle change. This change coincides w/ my journey & recovery fr anxiety disorder.
When I originally started the program, in Nov-2006, I started to exercise & change my dietary intake. I started w/ a little walking - orig only 10 -15 min's, which felt like 50 miles. You see, we got married 10 yrs ago + got comfortable + food became an extracurricular activity for us both. I had gained a lot of weight - not obese, just FAT(I own it). I don't even know what my weight was cause I avoided a scale - I know my size - <span class="ev_code_RED">SIZE 22!</span>That was the heaviest I ever was in my life - when I got married I was size 3. So, we started little by little - eventually w/ my motabilism & stamina growing. I started working out on treadmill at home(no excuses in bad weather) & hubby & I joined a gym for evening or weekend exercising. It was a great start for us as a family: we were going in the wrong direction - a dangerous & unhealthy one.
In March-2007, depression came - for the 1st time in my life(39yrs old). Part of my healing fr the depress(in therapy for it - no biggie) is me facing WHY I AM DEPRESSED. So, little by little - 1 by 1, I started chipping away. In beginning of June-2007, I faced a BIG ISSUE for me - FOOD. I, like you, am an emotional eater. Prior to anxiety disorder triggering & subsequent therapy & Lucinda's program, I never learned how to deal - my way of dealing was via food. In addition, I had some fears w/ food that stemmed fr childhood(going hungry, living w/o any)- so, I ate even more food - emotionally = "I better eat it now b/4 it goes away". So, I told myself if I'm gonna GO THERE, I'm gonna GO THERE. I hit it dead on. I initiated the topic in therapy HARD CORE - to get it all out of me. It's pretty hard to experience bad depression & face food issues & lose weight - I had too, 1 day @ a time.
I had the knowledge of nutrition, experience of having done this LOSE WEIGHT THING b/4, & having gone thru 2 yrs of therapy @ that point (June-2007) - I was smart enough to realize - I NEEDED TO CHANGE MY "behaviors/association to food" + "what I ate/how much = portion control" + consistant exercising. I KNEW BETTER to know, quick fixes don't work - I was looking for a lifestyle change - opposed to a DIET(implying deprivation). The end of June-2007, we joined WEIGHT WATCHERS. I chose them for their premis: not dieting, not deprivation - rather behavioral changes, lifestyle changes, exercising/more physical lifestyle, & better choices w/ food / portion control. I was not looking for a plan that I would purchase all our meals FROZEN - that wouldn't do it. I like to cook & w/ that, I wouldn't change my behavior - WHETHER I LIKED IT OR NOT, THERE IS A REASON I GOT FAT & I HAD TO BOTH FACE IT & CHANGE IT.
We attend meeting everyweek. I workout everyday: 1 hr on treadmill = @ 3.2 speed - @ 6.5 incline(built up during the course of 1 1/2 yrs. In addition, we workout at the gym every sat + sun. We've also gotten more active: taking walks in the various parks here - playing basketball(I stink, lol), taking our puppy out, going to the mall just to walk around - anything. THERE IS NEVER a day that goes by - that I don't exercise in some way. We also greatly changed our dietary intake: emphasis on fruits, veggies, lean meats, poultry, etc. Now, I do have a TREAT now & then = a slice of pizza, a burger fr the diner, low fat ice cream: its just strictly monitored. ONE THING WE HAVEN'T EATEN IS FAST FOOD = mc'd's, burg king, etc - in 8 MTHS, lol. There is VARIETY in what we eat - a healthy balance, so we don't feel deprived.
<span class="ev_code_RED">As of today: I've lost 50lbs & my hubby has lost 120 lbs(w/o surgery - just darn hard work & committment)</span> Depress can & does make it difficult - but I am winning that battle. I've gone done fr size 22 to size 12: CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT GIRL - let me tell you what it was like when I realized I am size 12: I was buying some needed clothes, cause the rest was too big. I ASSUMED bigger - 16, nope. I said 14, NOPE. I said right there in the store(hubby was waiting by the coffee area & I cld him on my cell)- w/ every one looking "hun I am size 12 omg I am size 12, heyyyyyyyyyyyy " I started dancing right there & didn't care who was looking.
The health need for this was initially obvious. Initially, it was LUCINDA. When she references exercise + dietary intake vs anxiety & depress, that did it for me. I started cause of the anxiety. Then, it was like a DOMINO EFFECT.
<span class="ev_code_RED">I know you were looking for folks who have read his book & taking that challenge - I just had to reply. I think it is so totally cool that we are taking control, getting healthy: mentally, emotionally, physically, & spiritually. That is why I replied. </span>
GIRL, HERE'S TO THOSE SMALLER PAIR OF SHORTS IN THE SUMMER - can't forget them "yeah I got it like that" shades either.
Continued success.
LENORE
